Console Diablo "theoretically possible"

By Oli Welsh Published 4 July, 2008

Pardo: "most console friendly" of franchises.

Speaking to Eurogamer for our Diablo III preview, Blizzard's vice president of game design Rob Pardo has admitted that a console version of Diablo is "theoretically posssible".

Blizzard told fans at last weekend's Worldwide Invitational event that it was working on Diablo III for PC and Mac exclusively, and had no plans for a console game at the moment. The decision was said to be motivated simply by PC being the most appropriate platform for the game.

However, asked if Blizzard could make a Diablo game for consoles, Pardo said, "I think it's theoretically possible. It would have some control changes that I think you'd have to make... But it's probably, of our major franchises, the one that's most console friendly, for sure."

Pardo - formerly lead designer on World of Warcraft, now occupying a design role with oversight of all Blizzard's titles - quickly focused on the practical and design problems of a console version.

"You'd need to think about a lot of the point-and-click spells, like point to area-of-effect, or things like line-damage in this direction," Pardo said. "Target selection is something you're going to lose on console, you're really going to be able to do targeting direction, but not specific targeting."

However, asked if this would mean a ground-up redesign, he disagreed. "Oh, I don't think it would be a redesigned game," he says firmly. "Out of StarCraft, Warcraft or WOW, Diablo would be the easiest game to translate. But it would still take a bit of work."

Picture of Oli.

About Oli Welsh

Oli is Eurogamer's acting deputy editor and reviews editor and likes to take things one word at a time. He is among the best dressed people in South London.

Read more articles from Oli by visiting the Oli Welsh archive page.

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Comments (60) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Dizzy #1 4 years ago

    Not sure if that would work.. but hey.. they did have some 360s at the World Wide Invitation.

    If Blizzard go consoles I think it will be with a spinoff game or - if they are smart - with a game that plays together with WoW using your account and character(s).

  • LazyDan #2 4 years ago

    Diablo DS

    You know it makes sense.

  • daz_john_smith #3 4 years ago

    A Wii version would be cool, but I'd love to see it on any console.

  • Gurgeh #4 4 years ago

    Umm this rumour has already been killed

    "PlayStation Universe yesterday, recalling rumors from 2006, asked a Blizzard rep when Diablo III would come to consoles. The non-answer answer: About never o'clock."

    "Jay Wilson, the game's lead designer, was asked about the possibility of Diablo III coming to the consoles, and he spoke at length about Blizzard's vision for such a possibility.

    Q: Do you have any plans for Diablo on consoles?
    We don't have any plans."





  • peasoup #5 4 years ago

    never say never, what if it doesn't sell well on PC?

  • dudefella #6 4 years ago

    Diablo 1 came out on the Playstation way back when. Starcraft came out on the N64, of all things. It's not impossible, but I don't think it'll happen.

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #7 4 years ago

    I don't understand what Blizzard have against consoles. Hopefully their new Activision Overlords will start breaking fingers until they reconsider.

  • Turambar #8 4 years ago

    Well it'd be similar to the Dark Alliance series on console i guess.

  • Redeye #9 4 years ago

    If the VP of game design for Blizzard thinks it's possible, then there's a chance. A very small one, but a chance nonetheless. Can see how aspects of the UI would be a sod, though.

    It's a double-edged sword (pun not intended)...the controls would have to be spot-on, or it'll be lambasted. Or if it's a variation of the gameplay in some way, version snobbery and cries of 'it's not the proper game' will echo through the threads.

    Consider this space watched.

  • Quint2020 #10 4 years ago

    /prays

  • sneetch #11 4 years ago

    @peasoup
    "never say never, what if it doesn't sell well on PC?"

    It's possible, but I very much doubt that it'll sell badly, I think gamers of that generation have a lot of fond memories of Diablo, I sure do.

    I'd imagine any console ports would be 3rd party as Climax Studios did the PSOne version (cracking port really) so I'd imagine if someone wanted to produce PS3, 360, Wii, DS, Casio Calculator versions and could do a good job (they wouldn't want shite sullying their brands) then Blizzard would be up for it.
    Edited by 1 at 04/07/08 @ 14:51

  • Whizzo #12 4 years ago

    never say never, what if it doesn't sell well on PC?

    As much as I detest the Diablo games I can't see D3 not shifting a huge amount of copies on the PC, Blizzard have now got legions of WoW fans who might even pick it up based on them developing it too.

  • SpyroViper #13 4 years ago

    I guess he doesn't know you can use Keyboard and Mouse for the PS3. Just make it a mandatory feature.

  • Slamhound #14 4 years ago

    "what if it doesn't sell well on PC?"

    When I heard that Leonard Boyarsky was on board I preordered a copy for myself. And everyone I know. And organised a team of expert personnel extraction agents to shuttle Chris Avellone from Santa Ana to Irvine.

  • Quint2020 #15 4 years ago

    I will literally buy a PC good enough to run this well, and i've not played PC games for years.

    Me and my mate are already considering a week off for co-op goodness.

  • Xerx3s #16 4 years ago

    "As much as I detest the Diablo games"

    List of people without a soul:

    Whizzo

  • itamae #17 4 years ago

    Diablo 1 came out on the Playstation way back when.

    And it was really good, except for its loading times. Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance and Champions of Norrath were great, too, so if Diablo III is really just more of the same, there's no reason why it wouldn't work on a console.

    That said, I thought Diablo II wasn't as enjoyable as the original, so I'm not exactly losing sleep over this issue.

  • chrisno21 #18 4 years ago

    I first played Diablo on the PS1, so clearly it's possible.

    Would be great to see, especially if they didn't dumb it down for the console market.

  • peasoup #19 4 years ago

    maybe I underestimated diablos appeal :)
    Hope it scales well I don't want to buy a new gfx card

  • itamae #20 4 years ago

    Would be great to see, especially if they didn't dumb it down for the console market.

    O_o

    Diablo-style titles are already as dumb as games can get...

  • Prodigy_BE #21 4 years ago

    Pretty obvious why they're not saying anything now.
    Otherwise some PC consumers who also have consoles might wait for the PS3 or 360 version.
    They want to sell as much PC copy's as they can, before announcing a console port.

    I for one, don't have a PC, and ain't buying one to play Diablo III. But release it on PS3, and you've got my 65 euro's from day one. Me, and probably a few other PS3 owners. It's up to the Blizzard management to deceide if they want my money or not.

  • UncleLou #22 4 years ago

    "Would be great to see, especially if they didn't dumb it down for the console market."

    O_o

    Diablo-style titles are already as dumb as games can get...

    I am sure they'd find a way, just look at BG:DA. :p

  • Dizzy #23 4 years ago

    >It's up to the Blizzard management to deceide if they want my money or not.

    I don't think they care.

  • itamae #24 4 years ago

    Diablo-style titles are already as dumb as games can get...

    I am sure they'd find a way, just look at BG:DA. :p

    My point exactly. They turned Baldur's Gate into a Diablo clone, and they turned Fallout into a Diablo clone, so surely Diablo must be a lowest-common-denominator gaming experience.

  • Prodigy_BE #25 4 years ago

    @ Dizzy,

    I wouldn't be so sure about that. They want to please their shareholders, so you can bet your ass they did a study about the long term effects of console versions a long time ago.

    You see, IF they release Diablo III later on on PS3 and 360, people might skip on Diablo 4, and wait for the console version of that game. They just don't want to kill off PC gaming, and are clearly aware of the pro's and con's of a console port.

    they'll do it, if their analists tell them there's more money to be made on console, as there is money to be lost on PC.


    Rich people ALWAYS go for more money (why the hell do you think they became rich in the first place)

  • UncleLou #26 4 years ago

    a lowest-common-denominator gaming experience.

    Are we talking about console gaming in general now? :p

    But my point was that they managed to even make a D2 clone significantly more simple. Skilltrees, loot, monsters/attack patterns variation, required tactics for mobs, replayability. BG:DA was a good, but it lacked in everything that makes an action-RPG game a truly great game.


  • Farfarer #27 4 years ago

    "Pretty obvious why they're not saying anything now.
    Otherwise some PC consumers who also have consoles might wait for the PS3 or 360 version."
    That's a joke, right?

  • Ryuken #28 4 years ago

    "They want to please their shareholders"

    They only want to please themselves and their fans and they've got all the financial means to do just that. If they had to please their shareholders then they would have released a lot more addons for their previous games or have done more rapidly developed sequels, all multiplatform too.

    Be happy that there are at least some companies left that only want to do their own thing and release games that feel like they've gone through proper QA. That it'll sell well in any case is pretty obvious, Diablo franchise alone sold 17 million copies already and I really don't think that the PS1 port of the first game had much to do with that...

    Also, 'a bit of work' in Blizzard terms? That's gonna take a while. :)
    Edited by 2 at 04/07/08 @ 21:23

  • TriggerHippie #29 4 years ago

    Another "article" spawned from the arse of a previous entry. Whats next EG, comments as news articles?

    You know what else is "theoretically possible"? Time Travel. Wake me when that becomes news.


  • Scimarad #30 4 years ago

    If there was ever a PC game that was a natural for consoles it's Diablo.

  • Wyrm #31 4 years ago

    "what if it doesn't sell well on PC?"

    You're an idiot.

  • FooAtari #32 4 years ago

    @peasoup

    "Hope it scales well I don't want to buy a new gfx card"

    Just out of interest, what you got?

  • _LarZen_ #33 4 years ago

    After Diablo3 spreads like a raging fire on torrents and they realise they lose millions just like Crysis did. THEN they wil consider a console version....

  • craziii #34 4 years ago

    you are dumb, ever heard of battle.net?

  • _LarZen_ #35 4 years ago

    Ever heard of Xbox Live and PSN? Go hide under your rock troll.

  • UncleLou #36 4 years ago

    Way to completely miss the point, ninny-hammer.

  • peak_performance #37 4 years ago

    "After Diablo3 spreads like a raging fire on torrents and they realise they lose millions just like Crysis did. THEN they wil consider a console version...."

    That's exactly what they did after Warcraft 3.

    Oh, wait a second...

  • _LarZen_ #38 4 years ago

    Then enlighten me :)

  • _LarZen_ #39 4 years ago

    "That's exactly what they did after Warcraft 3.

    Oh, wait a second..."

    And the torrent network around the world is just as it was back in 2002....

    Oh, wait a second...

  • _LarZen_ #40 4 years ago

    Im doing just what I hate with other now...im trolling. So I finish with saying I think Diablo3 is gonna be great and I hope they make it for X360 and PS3 alsow. Why should not console players experience this great world of Diablo?

    Anyways didnt mean to step on anyones toes :) Stay safe all!
    Edited by 1 at 05/07/08 @ 15:40

  • UncleLou #41 4 years ago

    Then enlighten me :)

    With a pirated copy, you won't be able to play on Battle.net.Which is what people want to do. Which is why they will have to buy the game.

  • FooAtari #42 4 years ago

    Why should not console players experience this great world of Diablo?

    Same reason PC misses on loads of consoles games I guess.

    While Piracy is an issue it's not as bad as some people make it out to be. Crytek didn't help itself by making a game that had huge system requirements to play it even at "high" and secondly the game wasn't all that.

    Diablo 3 will sell. Make a good game and it will sell. CoD 4 for example did very well. Sure not as good consoles but it sold well and that was just retail, charts don't include online sales.

  • peak_performance #43 4 years ago

    "And the torrent network around the world is just as it was back in 2002.... "

    Nah, didn't stop a load of people to pirate it though through other sources. Pirating wasn't exactly born when torrents arrived. I know loads of people who have played it and pirated it. Loads who bought it as well (ftr I belong in that group).

  • ChthonicEcho #44 4 years ago

    Now I know why Eurogamer persists to post smaller articles stemmed from larger ones. So that users would discuss a particular part of it.

    /pointlesscomment

  • Mudo #45 4 years ago

    "Why should not console players experience this great world of Diablo? "

    Irrelevant question. These are the only questions Blizzard need consider: Do we need to put the game on consoles to make enough money?
    or
    Would we get enough extra money from console releases to justify the extra effort?

    The answers are almost certainly an emphatic NO.

    Why put in all the effort, why hire extra console-specialists, why have to code and troubleshoot bugs etc for multiple totally different platforms, when you make a small nation's GDP with just the PC?

  • Xerx3s #46 4 years ago

    "Why should not console players experience this great world of Diablo? "

    Why should 360 gamers not get MGS4?
    Why should ps3 gamers not get Halo 3?

    If you want the exclusives: buy the platform or stop moaning.

  • _LarZen_ #47 4 years ago

    For me it's the same, im gonna get the game no mather what platform it comes on. But not all are as "lucky" as me and have both consoles and a highend gaming rig. Im thinking about those people who mayby cant afford a good gaming computer, and let's face it...lying on the sofa with a 42" full hd tv, full dolby surround sound sweet in my book. :)

  • dryden555 #48 4 years ago

    Dont believe everything you read coming from the mouths of gaming executives talking to the press. Given how much money can be made porting this to console. there will be a console version. The blizzard guy is being coy.

  • Genji #49 4 years ago

    I have no idea why Blizzard doesn't do more stuff for consoles. Open up a console division or something... I don't know. Yeah, maybe Diablo wouldn't work that well, but why don't they design something that would? Surely they have the money!

  • UncleLou #50 4 years ago

    Maybe they just like their independency. No license fees to a platform holder just for the privilege to publish on that platform, no control through that platform holder (just read how MS's control is hampering the balancing and enhancing of TF2 in the recent interview with Valve), no subscription fees they need to share or live services they need to consider for their own Battle.net. And making Games like SC2 and D3 PC-exclusive might secure them a bigger audience for their next MMORPG, etc.

    Certainly no shortage of reasons not to develop for consoles, as much as some people seem to think they are entitled to ports of everything and anything.

  • Xerx3s #51 4 years ago

    The "I can't afford a pc that will run this" line doesn't hold any substance imo. Blizzard have always made their games work very well with lowend PCs, it's in a part key to their success. There is no doubt in my mind that current day lowend PCs will be able to run this and the PCs of that time (assuming it's some time off) will be able to run this without a sweat.

    In short, if you have a pc, you will be able to run this. It's not like a medium specced pc costs a fortune either. If you have enough money to spend on expensive consoles with expensive games, you really shouldn't complain that you can't afford a pc that runs games like this.

  • Genji #52 4 years ago

    @UncleLou

    Good points. I wasn't really talking about ports, though. I don't want Starcraft on a console, unless it has been built from the ground up as a console game. The same goes for D3, really.

    I still reckon they could make some fantastic console games, licensing fees and control issues aside. A whole lot of money, too... assuming that PC gamers aren't too far up their own arses to stoop to playing a console game. ;-D

  • stallion185 #53 4 years ago

    I think it simply comes down to the fact that there are some games that just must be played on the PC in order to work.

    I honestly couldn't imagine trying to play Diablo 3 on a console... FPS's frustrate me enough already. Still, im happy as long as I get to play it on my PC, I couldn't care less if they ported it to every console in existence after that.

  • UncleLou #54 4 years ago

    Good points. I wasn't really talking about ports, though

    I didn't mean you, Genji, with my comment. :)

  • kangarootoo #55 4 years ago

    "Do we need to put the game on consoles to make enough money?
    or
    Would we get enough extra money from console releases to justify the extra effort?

    The answers are almost certainly an emphatic NO."

    I have to disagree, despite your convincing use of the word emphatic ;)

    Firstly, there is no such thing as "enough money" in business. If Blizzard (or any company) could make "more money" by releasing a title on a console, that would be reason enough to do it.

    As for whether the extra money made is "worth the effort" as you put it... its not like making games is a hobby for them. They don't sit there and say "well the money does sound nice, but I can't really be arsed, and besides Holly Oaks in on in 10 mins".

    If they can see a profitable return from putting a game out on console and (crucially) doing so would not impact their PC game business (which in Blizzard;s case is the only reason I can see for them to stay out of the console game business), they will do what is necessary to make that happen.

    Proper professional developers do not see things like doing work or hiring new staff as "extra effort". Effort is what they put in every single day.

  • kangarootoo #56 4 years ago

    @Nick_JC1

    "But like they said, how do you do point and click spells on a controller, it's just not fluid enough to pull off in the heat of battle"

    There are two approaches to that apparent problem. The first, perhaps cynical, response is "It doesn't really matter. What matters is whether it will sell".

    The second response is the one that frankly gamers should expect. People continually look at a system on one platform and then say "it won't work on system X because..." and then write something about control interfaces, when in fact designing and building suitable control interfaces is what developers do all the time. If a mouse and keyboard is needed for an existing system to work, but a mouse and keyboard is not available, you redesign the system so it does work with whatever control interface you have available. That is it, its not rocket science. Its just development.

  • patchbox360 #57 4 years ago

    I really don't understand the appeal to this game, to me the graphics and gameplay look crap when compared to next gen games like gears or oblivion, to me it looks like a really archaic old school game with some polish, it most be the atmoshere of the game or something cos i really, really do not get it, really..

  • Widge #58 4 years ago

    or perhaps its the gameplay?

  • UncleLou #59 4 years ago

    to me the graphics and gameplay look crap when compared to next gen games like gears or oblivion

    Diablo 3 is overnext gen. I guess your brain just can't cope with the awesomeness. Makes Oblivion look like last-last-last-last-last-gen Ultima 2.

  • TitusCrow #60 4 years ago

    diablo 3 for my money is the right title to go back into consoles if ever there was one from blizz. Sure it will need some adjustments for the controler but i think if anyone can do a game that feels great on whatever system its on its blizz / acti .
    my 1st experence of diablo was on ps1, i bought diablo and a ps1 came home and thought all games were that good on consoles :)
    forward to 2008 and i have been a pc gamer for many years and have a high end rig now ( just replaced the 8800gtx with a 4870 ) i spend most of my time on pc and i of course will get D3 on this platform, luckily i will be able to just switch it to my pani widescreen tv and chill on the bed and play it like a console game ( well when i get a wireless keyboard soon i will :) ) but i certainly think everyone should get the chance to play this game on console as well as pc.
    guess the problem is blizz's amazingly high standards and the fact they wont put the name of the company to a game thats a less that perfect conversion of the main one with all the utility and features. really hope this is done because no one deserves to miss out on this great game no matter what there platform of choice or ecconomic position.